The emotional family entertainer, We Are Family (2010), completed 15 years on September 2. On this occasion, its director Siddharth P Malhotra spoke exclusively with Bollywood Hungama about its casting, box office and a lot more.
15 Years of We Are Family EXCLUSIVE: Siddharth P Malhotra reveals, “I prayed that if Kajol signs the film, I’ll visit Lord Hanuman’s temple every Saturday; have been doing so ever since she gave her nod”; confesses, “To keep it fast-paced, I removed the thehrav waale scenes; wish to re-release with these scenes intact”
You had worked extensively on television before this film. Yet, to get Kajol and Kareena Kapoor Khan together for your debut directorial venture was a feat. How did you pull it off?
I have been a Kajol fan since the time I saw her debut film, Bekhudi (1992). I am fortunate to say that she is that one actor-friend who’s my friend for life. She has my back, whether or not I do well. Otherwise, actors are friendly with you only when you are successful. But she stands out and she’ll always be there for me. I remember I had told Karan Johar then, ‘Without Kajol, I won’t make this film at all’. He told me, ‘Go and narrate it to her. She may laugh and she may cry after hearing the story and she may still decline to do the film’! That’s exactly what happened. She laughed and cried and then said ‘No’ (laughs). I was heartbroken. I used to not go to temples then, as I believed that the connection you have with God is in your heart. I believe it even today. Agar bulava aata hai, toh aap mandir jaaiye. But you don’t have to compulsorily visit the temple.
But my wife religiously visits a temple of Lord Hanuman every Saturday at Santacruz West, close to where I live. She told me to join her. I went there and prayed, ‘If Kajol agrees to do my film, I’ll also go to that temple every Saturday for the rest of my life’! As luck would have it, she changed her mind and signed my film. Ever since, I have been visiting the temple every Saturday (smiles). It’s my way of thanking God for bringing Kajol into my life as a friend and actor.
Unfortunately, the film didn’t get the kind of success it could have.
We Are Family was released in the Ramzan period and just a week before Dabangg (2010). Do you think the Salman Khan-starrer affected its box office prospects?
Yes, Dabangg was one of the reasons. But we cut a lot at the edit table for the pace. It was my first film. I used to hear a lot of opinions and implement them. I used to be like, ‘Yes, you are right. Let’s cut this off’. At the end of the day, if I, as a director, agree to such suggestions, then it’s my fault.
In 2021, we saw a ‘Snyder Cut’ of Justice League (2017) being released. Can we expect a ‘Siddharth Cut’ of We Are Family?
That’s the version I really want to re-release as it has the gravitas and depth. But to keep it fast-paced and gripping, I removed the thehrav waale scenes, which were very important for a film like this.
Nevertheless, the film was above average. It recovered its money. In the UK, it was a very big hit. Kareena won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
15 years later, how do you look back at We Are Family?
I still feel that I owe it to Karan. He keeps telling me ‘You don’t need to feel that way’, but I still feel that maybe when I become even more successful, I should go back and as a guru dakshina, give back a super-hit film to Karan. Then I can finally tell him, ‘I have finally given you a hit’! He, along with Aditya Chopra and Sooraj Barjatya, are my mentors. I’ll be grateful to them all my life.
The background score of that film is still played on every reality show. I guess we have done something right with our themes, be it Hichki (2018) or Maharaj (2024). I am grateful to Kajol. That film gave me a lot. My ADs are still in touch with me. Nitin Kakkar, who made Filmistaan (2014), was my assistant. All of them turned out to be successful.
Kajol gave birth to Yug just 11 days later, on September 13 2010. Despite being heavily pregnant, I remember she defied the doctor’s orders and went to see We Are Family…
That is the brilliance of that person. Kajol jaise log bante hi nahin hai ab. I am a fan of her as a human being for this reason. She is one in a billion, not a million! If she loves you, she’ll do everything for you.
More Pages: We Are Family Box Office Collection , We Are Family Movie Review
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